Gourmet Without Guilt

Eating a diet filled with vitamins and nutrients has forever been fundamental to wellness, but now clinical research shows that there probably is a link between drug addiction and dietary inadequacies. Carolyn Reuben, a nutrition expert (and the executive director of the Community Addiction Recovery Association in Sacramento, CA) believes that the human body often respond to certain nutritional deficiencies in a way that may in the end lead to mental health troubles and/or addiction.

She and other nutritionists view omega 3 deficiency as part of the issue. Based on a person’s preferred substance or major ailments, Reuben states researchers can name which amino acids, vitamins and nutrients are missing.

Individuals struggling with drug often never follow a healthful diet. What Is More, drugs deplete fundamental nutrients from the addict’s body, so replacing and sustaining them are an important part of recovery. Furthermore, drugs exhaust vitamins and nutrients from the user’s body, so replacing and maintaining these vitamins and nutrients are an a vital part of rehabilitation.

Reuben asserts, paraphrased, that there is an an important link between our conduct and our sustenance, a direct link between our diet and how happy and satisfied we are. If an individual starts drinking or taking drugs and their answer is, “I don’t feel high, I feel normal,” that’s the key that shows they came into life with a neurochemical deficiency. They are low in something and we can correct that with our diet, sometimes with amino acids, fish oil, vitamin C or B. Fish oil benefits seem to be of supreme significance.

Much of this approach is based on research by Professor Stephen Schoenthaler, PhD, who found a relationship between elevated sugar intake, lessened vitamin consumption and aggression, in 1985. He discovered that prison inmates who were given daily vitamin/mineral supplements had up to a 43% decrease in aggressive behavior, which led researchers to begin investigating the link between nutrition and drug abuse. More recent studies have also found that supplying inmates omega-3 supplement also decreases aggression.

The CARA program advises that individuals (in conjunction with their physician) begin a schedule of taking 3 meals each day, each containing at least 20 g of protein, at least 4 cups of veggies, 2 grams of vitamin C, a multivitamin, 1-3 grams of fish oil omega 3, 500 mg of L-glutamine, and 2-3 mcg of chromium. It also advises avoiding white sugar and flour, which could possibly deplete the body of vitamin B. The program also suggests avoiding processed sugar and flour, which could strip the body of vitamin B. Although numerous factors are responsible for drug and alcohol abuse, consuming a diet rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fish oil is emphatically an essential part of the successful route to recovery and a drug-free life!

For additional info on ways to help a drug or alcohol abuser you should call 1-877-782-7409 or browse to Addicthelp.org.

Read more about omega 3 on the website of Brittany S.E. Wallace. Brittany is an expert on health who studied fish oil supplements for over 10 years.